Escape to Underland
by DarkPhoenix101
Summary: Now 22, Alice is a successful business woman and has come to terms of a sort with her family. But when an attempt on her life is only foiled by an unexpected return to Underland, she meets Tarrant again and must decide where she truly belongs. Alice/Tarrant, Alice/OC.
1. Chapter 1

**Escape to Underland**

Now twenty two, Alice is a successful businesswoman and had come to terms of a sort with her family. But when an attempt on her life is only foiled by an unexpected return to Underland, she meets Tarrant again and must decide where she truly belongs.

Disclaimer: I don't own the _Alice _books or the 2010 film. This story is entirely for fun and no money is being made.

Chapter 1: The Party

It was a warm sunny afternoon and on the grounds of the Ascot Estate a party was in full swing. Buffet tables holding a vast array of refreshments littered the grass and guests moved slowly among them, helping themselves to food and drink while they conversed on the latest social gossip and scandals.

Alice Kingsleigh allowed her eyes to wander over the scene. She stood alone, not sure she was really enjoying this event although it was ostensibly in honour of her twenty second birthday.

She could not help recalling the last time she had attended a party here; the disastrous proposal by Hamish and her subsequent flight and stumbling into Underland. Although more than two years had passed she remembered every detail of her adventures there as though it were yesterday. There were times she wished she could return there, but the two occasions she had attempted to jump back down the rabbit hole had resulted in nothing more than muddy shoes. That way back was closed to her, but although upset Alice had not been distraught. Somehow she felt that one day she would see all her friends from Underland again. Meanwhile she still had much to do in her own world.

Becoming Lord Ascot's apprentice and journeying to the Orient had been a turning point in her life. Her scheme of trading with China had been a great success, making her father's trading company one of the richest corporations in England and Alice felt proud that she had been a part of that. A year after becoming Lord Ascot's apprentice he had promoted her to his personal assistant, an unheard of position for a woman. She now had an independent income and thanks to the bonuses she had received and her shrewd investments a substantial personal fortune. Her family would never lack for money and she would never have to depend on a man to secure her future.

But travelling to the East had benefited her more than just financially. She had visited China, Tibet and Japan among other countries. She had seen things and learned things that no other Englishwoman ever had and Alice hoped that similar adventures awaited her in the future.

Finding it rather hot in the afternoon sun, Alice took a linen handkerchief from the sleeve of her dress but dropped it when someone unexpectedly brushed past her. She knelt down to retrieve it, rather awkwardly due to the corset she was wearing. Straightening up, Alice muttered curses on the stiff undergarment under her breath.

"What's wrong, Alice?" She turned round to find her sister Margaret behind her, holding two glasses of white wine. She offered one to Alice, who accepted it with a smile of thanks. "Are you not enjoying your party?"

"It's tolerable." Alice admitted, taking a sip of her wine. "I would enjoy it a great deal more were it not for this dratted corset!"

"Oh poor Alice and you are wearing those dreadful stockings as well!" Margaret laughed, her eyes dancing with mischief. "But you can hardly claim you were coerced into wearing either, dear sister. Mother and I scarcely need to remind you to dress properly these days. You are becoming quite the respectable lady!"

Alice responded to this remark with a very unladylike snort. "I hardly think so!" She sighed, taking another sip of wine. "It makes Mother happy," she admitted. "She disapproves of everything else about me and life would be intolerable if I had to fight her on everything. I find it preferable to concede to her wishes on dress than other matters. There are much worse things oppressing women than corsets and stockings!"

"Such as marriage?" Margaret inquired. She was looking at Alice seriously, all trace of humour gone.

"Oh! Well I did not exactly mean…" Alice stammered, embarrassed by her sister pinpointing one of the very things she had meant. But Margaret shook her head.

"No Alice, that is what you meant and I agree with you." She smiled a little sadly at Alice's stunned expression. "I know in the past I have supported Mother's ambition for you to marry as soon as possible, but I do so no longer. We are both far better off without men. All of them are cads!"

Alice reached out and gave her sister's arm a comforting squeeze. Margaret has spoken with intense bitterness and she quite understood why. A year after the disastrous engagement party, her husband Lowell Manchester had once again been caught philandering. This time though it was with the wife of a prominent member of the Government, who had promptly sued for divorce and named Lowell as correspondent. Rather than face a court case, the illicit couple had fled to America, Lowell leaving a mountain of debts behind. Once the bailiffs had finished with his estate, Margaret had been left both penniless and homeless and had been forced to return to her family home.

"I'm sorry," Alice said sympathetically.

"It is not your fault!" Margaret shrugged and smiled rather wanly, but Alice could see the tears sparkling in her eyes. "I am sure it will be for the best in the end. Now he is gone we can spend more time together and I can be an independent woman like you!"

Alice could not help the rather cynical thought that Margaret's 'independence' was rather dubious, as she was now financially supported by her mother and sister. But she kept that to herself.

"I had better find Mother," Margaret said hastily, as though she had sensed Alice's tension. "I will see you later Alice."

Alice smiled and nodded, watching as Margaret made her way back to their mother, who was talking with Lord and Lady Ascot. She couldn't help thinking about the first part of their conversation. Dressing more conventionally was not something she enjoyed, as she much preferred less restrictve clothing. But it did mollify her mother, and Alice had noticed that the more often she dressed 'properly' the less her mother criticised her unconventional behaviour or tried to force suitors on her. It was almost as though they had an unspoken agreement between them. It was an agreement Alice was happy to honour as she would much rather wear a corset than be forced to constantly reject new suitors. Even so, Alice couldn't help wondering if she had compromised her principles too much. Was she starting to lose her muchness again?

Alice was given no opportunity to consider this disturbing thought, as just at that moment Lord Ascot came over to her.

"Alice my dear!" he said, taking her hand. "What are you doing hiding away here? You're supposed to be the lady of the hour, you know!"

Ignoring her protests, Lord Ascot led her back into the centre of the crowd, calling for silence.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he began. "To begin with, we are holding this party to celebrate Alice's twenty second birthday. So first of all, happy birthday Alice!"

"Happy birthday!" The assembled guests chorused.

"Now as you know," Lord Ascot continued, "two years ago Alice became my apprentice and helped the Company expand to the Orient. The success the Ascot-Kingsleigh Trading Company has enjoyed since then has been in no small measure due to her efforts. Which is why a year ago I made her my personal assistant, and now the time has come for a further change. From today, Alice will be my junior partner and I have made changes in my will that will make her my successor at the Company in the event of my death."

Alice was stunned. This surpassed anything she had ever hoped for. No longer need she worry about her position in the event of Lord Ascot's death. Alice looked around at the assembled guests to gauge their reactions. To her surprise, Margaret looked genuinely delighted for her. Her mother looked pensive, probably wondering what effect this might have on her already headstrong daughter. Lady Ascot and her son however were clearly furious and Hamish proved unable to restrain himself.

"Father," he began angrily, but Lord Ascot gave him no opportunity to continue.

"No Hamish," he said firmly. "We have already discussed this. You will not be forgotten. All my money and property and all my other investments will be yours. But Ascot-Kingsleigh Trading will need to be led by someone with the imagination and daring to take it into the future and that person is Alice!"

He spoke in a tone that made it clear there was no further room for discussion and Hamish did not dare contradict him. Lord Ascot turned away from his son and spoke to the assembled guests.

"Please Ladies and Gentlemen, continue to enjoy the refreshments. My estate is at your disposal for the afternoon."

Alice's attention was diverted by a sudden tap on her shoulder. Turning around she found herself confronted by Lady Ascot.

"I wonder if I might have a word with you in private, Miss Kingsleigh?" Although the older woman's words were in the form of a request, it was obvious from the tone that Alice was supposed to consider it an order.

"Of course, Lady Ascot." Alice made it sound as though she were granting a favour.

With a furious snort, Lady Ascot turned on her heel and marched away towards the house. Alice however followed her at a much more sedate pace, forcing her outraged hostess to stop and wait for her.

"_Well, proper dress or not, I appear to retain at least some muchness!"_ Alice thought, with no small measure of satisfaction


	2. Chapter 2

**Escape to Underland**

Now twenty two, Alice is a successful businesswoman and had come to terms of a sort with her family. But when an attempt on her life is only foiled by an unexpected return to Underland, she meets Tarrant again and must decide where she truly belongs.

Disclaimer: I don't own the _Alice _books or the 2010 film. This story is entirely for fun and no money is being made.

Chapter 2: Plain Speaking

The room lady Ascot led Alice to was a typical Victorian drawing room of the mid-nineteenth century, littered with overstuffed armchairs and fussy ornaments. The only incongruous element was a series of small jade figurines decorating the mantelpiece above the merrily burning fire, mementos of Lord Ascot's journey to the Orient. Moving to stand next to the fire, Alice ran her fingers over them gently. She had helped Lord Ascot acquire many of these pieces and each of them brought back memories of her adventures in the East.

"Sit!" Lady Ascot pointed to one of the armchairs, obviously expecting Alice to obey her without question. But Alice was not disposed to comply.

"I prefer to stand, thank you," she replied quietly.

The older woman glared at her. "You have not changed," she declared angrily. She looked Alice up and down, taking in the girl's neatly corseted figure. "You may dress like a lady now but you remain as wilful and insolent as ever!"

Alice merely shrugged. "Perhaps we might dispense with these pleasantries and speak plainly, Lady Ascot. Precisely why did you wish to speak with me?"

Lady Ascot took a deep breath to control her anger, or at least as deep as she could manage in her excruciatingly tight-laced corset. "I wished to discuss my husband's absurd idea of making you a partner. Surely even you Alice can see how ridiculous it would be for a woman to hold such as position?"

"I can't say I do," Alice responded. "I was already Lord Ascot's personal assistant. Becoming his partner is a logical progression from that." She shrugged again. "What else would you have me do with my life?"

"Settle down and start a family, girl," the older woman told her. "That is the natural destiny of women. Despite you unfortunate behaviour in the past, Hamish would still be willing to marry you."

"And then I would have to do as Hamish tells me, eh? Including what to do with the shares in the company my father left to me?"

"It is a wife's duty to obey her husband in everything." Lady Ascot spoke with the assurance of one declaring a self evident law of nature.

"I fear I cannot agree," Alice demurred softly. "Although I do wonder why you do not follow your own advice and accept Lord Ascot's decision regarding my future in the company."

Lady Ascot's eyes blazed. Suddenly she drew her arm back and viciously slapped the younger woman's face.

"How dare you speak to me that way, you little hussy!"

For several seconds Alice stood motionless, her head inclined sideways from the force of the blow, a red handprint slowly appearing on her cheek. Then, slowly, she turned her head to regard her assailant. Alice kept her expression totally impassive, betraying neither anger nor outrage. Yet something in her eyes made the older woman instinctively flinch back.

"You would be well advised not to do that again," Alice warned her quietly.

Lady Ascot spluttered with indignation but Alice gave her no opportunity to speak.

"There is simply no question of my ever marrying Hamish." Alice spoke quietly but intensely, ruthlessly overriding the other woman's attempted interjections. "The only reason you ever favoured such a match was to gain control of the shares my father left me. With them the Ascot family would have total control over Ascot Kingsley Trading but that will never happen. My father spent the best part of his life building the company and planning its future. Over the past two years Lord Ascot and I have more than fulfilled those dreams and I will not allow everything we have achieved to be destroyed by your greed and your son's folly. If you and your idiot of a son ever gain any influence in my father's company it will be over my dead body!"

With those words Alice left her place by the fire and marched towards the door. She paused at the threshold and turned to face her hostess once again.

"And now if you will excuse me, I intend to find my mother and sister then go home and get out of this bloody corset!"

Turning on her heel, Alice strode away, leaving the house and making her way back into the grounds. Although angry she also felt grim satisfaction. Once she would never have dared speak her mind to Lady Ascot in that way, being too much in awe of the woman's social position. Now she no longer paid any heed to such things as social status; character and accomplishments were the only qualities that earned her respect.

But had Alice known what would follow from her confrontation that afternoon, she might perhaps have felt a little less satisfied.


End file.
